''La nonna Sabella'' (internationally released as ''Oh! Sabella'') is a

1957 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, the 57th year of the 20th century, and the 8th year ...

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Dino Risi Dino Risi (23 December 1916 – 7 June 2008) was an Italian film director. With Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Nanni Loy and Ettore Scola, he was one of the masters of ''commedia all'italiana''. Biography Risi was born in Milan. He had an o ...

. It is based on the novel of the same name written by

Pasquale Festa Campanile Pasquale Festa Campanile (28 July 1927 – 25 February 1986) was an Italian screenwriter, film director and novelist, best known as a prominent exponent of the commedia all'italiana genre. Life and career Born at Melfi, in the province ...

. The film won the

Golden Shell The Golden Shell ( es, Concha de Oro; eu, Urrezko Maskorra) is the highest prize given to a competing film at the San Sebastián Film Festival. It was introduced in 1957. In 1953 and 1954, the highest prize had been called the Gran Premio. In 19 ...

at the

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; es, Festival Internacional de San Sebastián, eu, Donostia Zinemaldia) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in ...

. It was followed by '' La nipote Sabella''.

Synopsis

Raphaël, a young engineer, returns to his native village at the bedside of his dying grandmother, Isabelle. This one is actually doing wonderfully, it was a ruse to get her grandson back because she wants to see him marry a rich heiress, Evelyne. Raphaël bends to his desire and woos Evelyne, but he is much more attracted to the seductive Lucie, a childhood friend. Despite the money and Isabelle's opposition, he ends up marrying Lucie.

Criticism

"(...) In fact, the film manages to sustain itself throughout the first half, thanks above all to a screenplay which (despite being less quick than that of Poveri ma belli), does not lack tasty ideas and guessed skits (...)" "The film would like to be a pleasant little picture of the province and show in a humorous key certain situations caught in reality. The screenwriters and director have also trod the hand, filling the story with commonplaces. The acting, especially that of Rascel in a parish priest, is affected by this heaviness of hand. Good photography."''Segnalazioni cinematografiche'', vol. 42, 1957

Cast

Tina Pica Tina Pica (31 March 1884 – 15 August 1968) was an Italian supporting actress who played character roles on stage. Her film debut came in 1935 with '' The Three-Cornered Hat''. In the 1950s, she became a celebrity thanks to her role as Carame ...

: Grandma Sabella *

Peppino De Filippo Peppino De Filippo (born Giuseppe De Filippo; 24 August 1903 – 27 January 1980) was an Italian actor. De Filippo was born in Naples, brother of actor and dramatist Eduardo De Filippo and of Titina De Filippo. He made his stage debut at ...

: Emilio Mescogliano * Sylva Koscina: Lucia *

Renato Salvatori Renato Salvatori (20 March 1933 – 27 March 1988) was an Italian actor. Born in Seravezza, Province of Lucca, Salvatori began his career in his teens playing juvenile, romantic roles. After working with directors such as Luchino Visconti, Ro ...

: Raffaele Renzullo *

Rossella Como Rossella Como (29 January 1939 – 20 December 1986) was an Italian actress and television personality. Life and career Born in Rome, Rossella Como started her career at just 16 years old as a TV presenter, in the RAI show ''Primo applauso''. S ...

: Evelina Mancuso *

Paolo Stoppa Paolo Stoppa Knight Grand Cross (6 June 1906 – 1 May 1988) was an Italian actor. Biography Born in Rome, he began as a stage actor in 1927 in the theater in Rome and began acting in films in 1932. As a stage actor, his most celebrated ...

: Evaristo Mancuso *

Dolores Palumbo Dolores Palumbo (14 June 1912 – 30 January 1984) was an Italian stage and film actress. Life and career Born in Naples, the daughter of two stage actors, Palumbo debuted in 1930 with a bit role in the farce ''La bella trovata''. Shorty later ...

: Carmela Renzullo *

Renato Rascel Renato Rascel (), stage name of Renato Ranucci (; 27 April 1912 – 2 January 1991), was an Italian film actor and singer. He appeared in 50 films between 1942 and 1972. He represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960 with the s ...

: Don Gregorio *

Mimo Billi In radio, multiple-input and multiple-output, or MIMO (), is a method for multiplying the capacity of a radio link using multiple transmission and receiving antennas to exploit multipath propagation. MIMO has become an essential element of wi ...

: Eusebio *

Nino Vingelli Nino Vingelli (4 June 1912 – 26 March 2003) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1941 and 2000. Selected filmography * ''I mariti (Tempesta d'anime)'' (1941) * '' The Betrothed'' (1941) - (uncredited) * '' ...

References

External links

* 1957 films Films directed by Dino Risi Italian comedy films 1957 comedy films Films based on Italian novels Films set in Campania 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-comedy-film-stub